My 3-year old's Kindy teacher explained the whole Christmas concept rather well when she said that Christmas time was a birthday party. We have cake, special food, presents, cards, special songs and all our favourite people around us to celebrate Jesus' birthday.

I don't know about anyone else, but at any party I have all of those things listed above are included. I don't think that I would not invite any of my friends to help me celebrate because of a particular belief that they held that was different to mine. Isn't that the main concept of most religions - to be tolerant towards each other and to love one another no matter what (ie, no matter what religion, politics, sexual orientation or whatever a person is)?

Personally, I am not a very religious person, but I love Christmas. I love the fact that people are thinking of each other and that they make the effort to spend time with familyand friends. To question whether people should have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas because of a belief they have doesn't sound very Christian like at all.

Originally posted by BrownEyedBoy Christmas Eve is all about the night Christ is born. So if you don't believe in God, then what are you celebrating?

I don't know, I think it's pretty hypocritical of atheists to celebrate it.

I celebrate it because the days are getting longer again and light is on his way and why does cristians say that athiests are hypocrital I know a lot of cristians are hypicritical to, they only go to church on christmas.

It doesn't bother me if atheists celebrate Christmas. While I bet they care little about the meaning behind it, it's a time to spend with your family and friends like no other. Completely ignoring all the consumer chaos, people are less selfish, more selfless, more caring and giving. I think we should get all 12 days of Christmas. Wouldn't that be something? (Hey, Hanukkah has been getting 8 days for years, why not?)

While Athiests may not acknowledge the divinity that's at the foundation of Christmas celebrations, i think most would agree with the ideals that come out of the belief system...especially universal ideas of love, peace, charity, piety, etc. These are ideals that most belief systems/religions (even Athiestic) have in common.

[Also, with regard to Islam, Moslems also believe in Christmas, in the sense that they acknowledge Jesus' God-induced miracle virgin birth. They just don't really go all out to celebrate it. They have at least two major festive Christmas-like celebrations.]

Originally posted by Judah ...especially universal ideas of love, peace, charity, piety, etc. These are ideals that most belief systems/religions (even Athiestic) have in common.

There is no code of conduct for atheists. Atheist simply means 'no god". An atheist could believe in love, peace, etc. An atheist could also believe in eating small children for breakfast. There are no rules.

It's just a question. A topic conversation with completely nothing to do with the atheist thread.

It's just a topic. A thought. I don't see why it bothers you that I asked that question. People have asked questions about nude beaches and you haven't piped in with an ever-so-clever "why do you care?".